The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna - Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, many Acts have been passed in this House. But today’s Bill is historic. Laws passed here must benefit the people and the country. Yet many in history enabled perks for rulers to share among themselves.

¶ 02 The National People’s Power (NPP), prior to recent elections, declared our policies under “A Prosperous Country — A Beautiful Life.” We promised to reject and remove laws that burden the country and are unjust to the people; to abolish the unlimited entitlements of former Presidents; and to remove MPs’ pensions. Accordingly, this is a progressive Bill. The intelligent public will understand this is a democratic law. If those who received the people’s mandate had acted with respect for it, they should have stepped down from those thrones before we had to legislate. As they did not, we must do this lawfully, not by force. Hence, we bring a Bill to repeal Act No. 4 of 1986 on Presidents’ Entitlements. This aligns with the people’s mandate and expectations.

¶ 03 We promised to change the political, social, and economic order that stagnated for 76 years. This change is one part of politics; not everything changes at once.

¶ 04 Why were these benefits given? For service to the country. But if misused, there is no justification. Institutions, public or private, are closed when they deviate from purpose. Likewise, if laws no longer fit their objectives, they must be repealed. Though the people expected well-being from such entitlements, if that is not achieved, they must go. We included such measures not for populism but thinking of the country. Unlike others who promise to win votes and fail to deliver, we are delivering. The people will appreciate that.

¶ 05 Some say this is done with hatred or for revenge. In truth, the people have suffered from vindictive politics for years. Remedies and rules are now being implemented to correct that.

¶ 06 Let us be frank: former Presidents are not destitute. Compared with our President Anura Kumara’s personal assets, those of former Presidents far exceed his. If modest entitlements are removed, the one who would lose them in future is President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Yet he decided that entitlements must be aligned with the 66 percent of this country — the majority who live with limited means. Representatives must act for them, setting aside personal interest. The public will decide if this is just. We believe they will see it as fair, rational, progressive, and democratic.

¶ 07 We must ask: for whom and for what purpose were these entitlements used? Official residences and properties granted as perks are still being used for narrow political, racist, religious agendas, even to foster the underworld or protect drug dealers. Therefore, we must decide for the people. More democratic laws are coming — this is one of them.

¶ 08 Opposition MPs, like Dayasiri Jayasekara, worked hard to cast this as revenge and rights being snatched. That narrative is melodrama. This government — the NPP government — takes decisions democratically for the people’s welfare. These are not trivial matters.

¶ 09 Courts have clarified that the 1986 law bestowed unlimited entitlements. President Maithripala Sirisena did not use the Presidential House, but resided in another state house and, via Cabinet, arranged to retain it after retirement, spending around Rs. 30 million on renovations before leaving office. Is that fair? The Supreme Court ruled it unethical and unlawful to allocate to oneself from the Cabinet chair, and he had to vacate.

¶ 10 President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga similarly obtained land in Battaramulla; the courts nullified that as well. For President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s current Wijerama residence, Rs. 472 million was spent on renovations — during COVID and the economic crisis — while public entitlements were being cut. Is that fair?

¶ 11 Millions and billions have been spent on former Presidents. Ensuring security for former Presidents and opposition MPs is our government’s duty. If a former President lacks a house, we are ready to provide one. But we cannot allow unjust use of taxpayers’ money. The economy is fragile. Some months, the electricity and water bills for presidential residences have been over Rs. 1.2 million each — funded by the people — while their own private home bills are nowhere near that. How can a country be run like this?

¶ 12 As Plantation Minister, I know many of our people in line rooms have no land, no house, no address. If those entitlements had been treated as rights for the people and addresses, land and houses given accordingly, they would not be in such plight. NBRO reports show tens of thousands of houses at high landslide risk. In 2014, at Meeriyabedda, 34 people were buried; NBRO in 2017 called for immediate relocation — it did not happen because people had no money. Meanwhile, we are told to protect all these perks?

¶ 13 People still depend on Samurdhi and harvests; medicine is scarce. In such an economy, we cannot continue these perks. Building a moral country is our responsibility.

¶ 14 We must correct the corrupt political system; build a moral political track; rebuild the economy. Later, if the people decide certain groups need protection, that can be considered — first safeguard the people, then look to the rulers. Our task is to amend unjust laws and bring democratic ones. That is why we bring this Bill.

¶ 15 There are opposition leaders who understand this; we hope they will support it. Even without that, we know the people approve it. We will bring more democratic proposals in future. We are ready to deliver the “Prosperous Country — Beautiful Life” we promised. In a prosperous country, former Presidents too will live well; we do not intend to pauperize anyone. Our aim is to build a proper country and politics. This Bill, backed by the people’s will beyond the 225 here, will deliver justice and fairness. I conclude.

¶ 16 Thank you.